- At Budget Hearing, Council Hears It From Residents: Last night’s public hearing on the city’s Fiscal Year 2010 budget brought a huge crowd to City Hall. The crowd packed council chambers while speaker after speaker got up to protest the proposed budget, which would result in a property tax hike. Douglas Carlucci has a [...]
- The state Division of Pensions and Benefits will reportedly conduct an investigation into the two high-paid city employees who retired, cashed in huge one-time pension payouts, and came back on the city payroll. Meanwhile, the trio of state bills designed to reform the pension system were unanimously approved by the state Senate yesterday; they [...]
One of the most stunning revelations from the five days of testimony by Solomon Dwek is his ignorance of the system in which he has wreaked so much havoc. Few professional politicians have ended as many promising careers as Mr. Dwek has, and yet a tenth-grade civics class probably has a better handle on government than he does.
- Former state assemblyman and five-time mayoral candidate Lou Manzo and his brother and political advisor, Ron, pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges yesterday. John Lynch, the attorney for Lou Manzo, said he was not impressed after viewing videos made by the FBI involving the meetings with informant Solomon Dwek. Prosecutor and lawyers will [...]
- The City Council got one new face last night as David Donnelly was appointed Ward B councilman. He will replace Phil Kenny, who stepped down last week after pleading guilty to federal corruption charges. David Cruz has an interview with the new councilman. In other council moves, At-Large councilman Peter Brennan was appointed council [...]
- As we noted yesterday, the big news was the seventh guilty plea in the federal corruption probe. Housing activist and former Ward F City Council candidate LaVern Webb-Washington pleaded guilty to accepting $15,000 in bribes from a purported developer in exchange for potential political favors. As a result, the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency is [...]
- The federal corruption sweep got a little bit wider yesterday as Ward B councilman Phil Kenny became the first sitting council member to plead guilty to taking bribes in return for potential political favors. Kenny, who was not among the 44 arrested in July, will be sentenced in January. Meanwhile, Council President Mariano Vega* [...]
- Deputy mayor Leona Beldini and former Housing Authority commissioner Edward Cheatam became the first public officials to be indicted in the federal corruption probe yesterday. They are charged with “with conspiring to extort corrupt cash payments, illicit political contributions and other benefits under color of official right, in return for Beldini’s and an elected [...]
- “Multiple City Hall sources” tell Politicker that council president Mariano Vega*, who was arrested in last month’s corruption sting, is considering relinquishing his post as prez before the next council meeting (Sept. 9).
- Two contractors are suing developer Peter Mocco for $3 million he owes them for work done at the Liberty Harbor complex, [...]
Here’s the full list of people charged in the public corruption portion of the federal investigation that culminated in the arrest of many political heavies today. Those charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right and/or attempted extortion under color of official right could, if convicted, face a maximum statutory penalty of [...]
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